I prepare Y and mtDNA Personalized DNA Reports for clients, as well as general genetic genealogy consulting.

What do you do as a Night Job?

Whatever I didn’t get done in the day 😊

Hopefully some of my own genealogy or quilting.

How did you get into genealogy?

I was pregnant with my daughter, waiting on her arrival, and decided I wanted to know something more about my father’s side of the family. I had NO IDEA I was “doing” genealogy nor that it would ever become an obsession.

Tell us about your involvement with genetic genealogy

I first tested my mitochondrial DNA with Oxford Ancestors in 1999, then started the Estes DNA project with FamilyTreeDNA shortly thereafter. The rest, as they say, is history.

What will you be talking about?

My presentation will cover autosomal DNA exclusively. Session 1 will cover tools to help you interpret your autosomal DNA results. Did you know that Family Tree DNA provides customers with 9 different tools for autosomal DNA matching and analysis? Did you know that you can use these in combination with each other for even more specific matches. Not only that, but within these tools there are lots of ways to utilize the various features. Do you know how to use your Y and mitochondrial DNA results together with your Family Finder results? We’ll be looking at several different scenarios and different approaches to solving brick walls. Come and see what you’ve been missing!

The second session will explore DNA through the ages - literally! What might you be able to do with DNA matching if you had 4 generations to work with? What could you learn? Looking at how DNA is inherited through multiple generations of the same family is the perfect way to learn about the principles of inheritance and might just peak the interest of your children or grandchildren. What a fun project to undertake with them, or bring older children along to the session. Come and see just how much fun DNA can be as a family affair! DNA kits as Christmas gifts might just be in your family’s future.